St. John Fisher University Athletics

Mitchell Smith was hired in 2012 to serve as an assistant coach for the men’s basketball program.  Smith also works in the St. John Fisher College campus security office as a dispatcher. 

Smith was a standout player at Gannon University, where he was named both the Rookie of the Year in 1985 and the Sophomore of the Year in 1986.  During his sophomore year, Smith helped lead the Golden Knights to the Division II National Championship game where his team ultimately lost to Kentucky Wesleyan.  That year the Golden Knights finished 28-6 overall, setting the school record for victories in a season at the time.  The 1986-87 men’s basketball team is the only basketball team in Gannon school history to play in the NCAA Division II National Championship game. The team was inducted into the College’s Athletics Hall of Fame in 2010. 

En route to the National Championship game, Smith was named to the MECC First Team All-Conference and the Most Valuable Player of the East Regional Championship in 1987.  The following season, Mitchell was again named MECC First Team and also received NABC Second Team honors.  Smith led his Golden Knights team in scoring from his freshman season through his junior year and finished his career with 1,381 points, ranking him 13th on Gannon’s all-time scoring list at the time of his graduation.

Smith ranks in a number of other Gannon all-time categories, currently sitting in eighth place with 561 field goals made in his career.  His 66 career blocked shots ranks him 14th in the record books, while his 531 rebounds places him 21st overall.

Smith graduated from Gannon in 1989 with a Bachelor of Arts in Communications.  Prior to working at Fisher, he served as a photojournalist for over 15 years, working with a number of television stations all over the country.

Mitchell has coached at a number of levels, including time as the assistant coach and video scout for the Great Lakes Storm of the Continental Basketball Association and as an assistant coach and counselor for the Detroit Pistons Coach Chuck Daly Basketball Camp.

Smith currently resides in Fairport and is the father of four children.